Puccinellia

Perennial, tufted. Leaf blade narrow, folded; ligule an unfringed membrane. Inflorescence a panicle, open or contracted, sometimes almost spike-like; spikelets solitary, shortly pedicelled. Spikelet 3-8 mm long, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes very unequal, shorter than spikelet, oblong, acute to obtuse, membranous, not keeled, awnless; lower glume 1-nerved; upper glume 3-nerved. Florets 2-12, bisexual; uppermost floret reduced, rachilla prolonged; lemma 2 or 3(4) mm long, similar in texture to glumes, membranous, lanceolate, oblong or ovate-oblong, tip scabrous, obtuse or blunt, often ragged, entire, rounded on back, 5-nerved, glabrous or sometimes hairy towards base, awnless; callus glabrous; palea subequalling lemma, lanceolate, 2-keeled, keels scaberulous to ciliate. Lodicules 2, ovate, hyaline. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous; styles distinct, delicately plumose. x= 7 (high polyploidy).